Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Reaz Hamidullah returned to Dhaka on Monday night following an “urgent call” from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there, reports said.
“In view of the recent situation
in bilateral ties with India, Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi M. Reaz Hamidullah was called to Dhaka on an urgent basis,” the mass-circulation daily Prothom Alo reported.
Quoting an unnamed “responsible source” in the foreign office, news agency PTI reported that Hamidullah arrived in Dhaka on Monday night in response to the summons.
“He has been summoned to Dhaka for discussions on the recent situation of bilateral relations,” the source added.
The development comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbours following violent incidents in Bangladesh and retaliatory diplomatic measures by India.
Earlier this week, India summoned Hamidullah to New Delhi over security concerns around the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
The summons followed reports of extremist elements planning protests outside the mission.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that it “completely rejects the false narrative” being created by such elements regarding recent events in Bangladesh and called on the interim government to share credible evidence regarding the incidents.
Bangladesh, on its part, expressed “grave concern” over attacks on its diplomatic missions in India, including vandalism at the Bangladesh Visa Centre in Siliguri on December 22 and protests outside its High Commission in New Delhi on December 20.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to convey Dhaka’s concerns, stating that such acts “not only endanger the safety of diplomatic personnel but also undermine the principles of mutual respect and values of peace and tolerance.”
The Bangladeshi government urged India to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents and ensure the safety and security of its diplomatic missions.
The tensions have been exacerbated by recent unrest within Bangladesh following the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi and the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh.
Das, a 27-year-old youth, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy on December 18, and his body was set on fire, sparking national outrage.
On Tuesday, Education Adviser Professor CR Abrar visited the bereaved family and condemned the incident, calling it a “heinous criminal act with no justification and no place in Bangladeshi society.”
He reaffirmed the Interim Government’s commitment to the rule of law and assured the family that all perpetrators would be investigated and justice served.
Twelve individuals have been arrested in connection with the killing, and investigations are ongoing.
Against this backdrop, Bangladesh temporarily suspended visa and consular services at Indian missions in New Delhi, Siliguri, and Agartala, citing security concerns.
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